Synoptic control and signalling board

ABSTRACT

A synoptic control and signal panel comprising mosaic elements having no supporting grid and consisting of detachable panels bearing symbols or data in the form of a diagram. The panels are assembled together by keys having a double dovetail shape which engages hollow parts on the side faces of the panels.

D United States Patent 51 3,636,558 Debaigt 1 1 Jan. 18, 1972 SYNOPTICCONTROL AND References Ci SIGNALLING BOARD UNITED STATES PATENTS [721Invent Jean Debaigt Masons-Lafitte France 2,225,612 12 1940 Allen..46/26 73 Assignee: Compagnie Gena-ale DEn'reluises Elec 2,765,58110/1956 Adler... ..46/26 mques Levanoisyenet France 3,007,150 10/1961Arrasm1th.... .....340/381 3,516,194 6/1970 Schmidlin ..46/26 [22]Filed: Dec. 24, 1969 Primary ExaminerBenedict V. Safourek AssistantExaminer-Joseph A. Orsino, Jr. [2]] Appl' 887835 Attorney-Sughrue,Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak 30 Foreign Application Priority DataABSTRACT Dec. 27, 1968 France ..1s1341 A Synoptic control and SignalPanel comprising mosaic ments having no supporting grid and consistingof detachable panels bearing symbols or data in the form of a diagram.The panels are assembled together by keys having a double [52] US. Cl..340/38l, 46/26 dovetail Shape which engages hollow parts on the sidefaces of [51] Int. Cl. ..G09f 7/02, G09f 9/30 the panels [58] Field ofSearch ..340/381; 52/307, 503, 731;

46/26, 29, 31 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAN] 8 B 2 SHEET 1 0F4 FIG.I

PATENTEUJAM 8 m2 3.836; 558

sum 2 OF 4 W Nn [Pl r\/ PATENTEU JAN 1 8 m2 SHEEI 3 OF 4 FIGS SYNOPTICCONTROL AND SIGNALLING BOARD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theInvention The present invention concerns a synoptic control andsignalling board made up of mosaic elements, comprising detachablepanels carrying symbols or members of a circuit diagram.

2. Description of the Prior Art Synoptic control and signalling boardsmade up of mosaic elements which comprise a support grid composed ofcells into which panels bearing the elements of the circuit diagram arefitted are already known. The applicants have proposed in their FrenchPat. No. 1,445,529, of Apr. 12, 1965, synoptic boards in which the cellscan receive both panels having the same dimensions and panels whosedimensions are submultiples of those cells, so that the circuit diagramcan be further subdivided when it is desired to introduce new elementsinto These boards, however, lend themselves only to limitedmodifications because they must be inserted into a grid of predetermineddimensions. It is therefore impossible to add further panels having thesame dimensions as those of the basic structure without changing thesupport grid. Moreover, the support grid increases the weight of thewhole structure of the synoptic board and gives it a rather unattractiveappearance.

The present invention has for its object to obviate the aforesaiddisadvantages and to provide a synoptic control and signalling board inwhich the number of elements can be rapidly varied within wide limitsand which is self-supporting, i.e., free from any support grid, is lightand is of attractive appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention concerns a synoptic control andsignalling board of the type consisting of a plurality of hollowelements of prismatic form closed at one end by a detachable panelbearing symbols or members. The elements are disposed side by side sothat their side faces are juxtaposed in pairs and the panels form aplane surface. The elements are assembled by means of assembly memberscomprising a male member cooperating with female member mounted on thelateral faces of the elements. The assembly members are pegs having theform of a double dovetail in cross section. The pegs are disposedparallel to the axis of the prismatic elements, and are provided with agripping head and means for locking them in the lateral walls of theelements.

Further, features and advantages of the invention will become apparentfrom the following description, which is given by way of nonlimitingexample and with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a synopticcontrol and signalling board comprising square detachable elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a board element asseen from the rear of the board, in section along the line A-A of FIG.2;

FIG. 2 illustrates the same board element in section along the line BBofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 illustrates a peg for joining adjacent board elements, as seen inperspective;

FIG. 4 illustrates the assembly comprising a board element and anunpluggable lamp holder disposed behind the corresponding panel, insection along the line AA of FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 illustrates the same assembly as FIG. 4, as seen from the front,in section along the line BB of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 illustrates in perspective two elements for securing the synopticboard to a support frame disposed behind the latter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The board element illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2 consists of strong material endowed with some flexibility,and formed, for example, of polyvinyl chloride or of superpolyamide,such as that sold under the trade name Nylon." It comprises fouridentical walls 1 whose central parts are formed with dovetailshapedrecesses 2, and a base 5 disposed on the side turned towards theobserver. The base constitutes the equivalent of the panels of thesynoptic board. Close to the edge of the walls which is opposite to thebase 5, the recesses 2 are formed with blind holes 3 centered on theaxis of the recesses. On the inside of the wall, there are provided ribs4 formed with axial grooves 4A to enable control and signalling membersto be secured where necessary. As a variant, the blind holes 3 may bereplaced by holes extending through the wall of the panels.

The peg illustrated in FIG. 3 preferably consists of the same materialas the elements which is serves to assemble. It comprises an elongatedbody 8 whose cross section is in the form of a double dovetail, and ahead 7 of rectangular cross section having a gripping hole 8 extendingalong its axis parallel to its length. Two frustoconical studs Q havingan angle at their apex of 30 and disposed on either side of the body 6in the neighborhood of the head are intended to hold the peg fast in theblind holes in the walls of the board elements. The end of the body 6which is further from the head is terminated by a bevel 10. The angle ofthe two adjacent sides of the double dovetail is, for example, 120. Whena rod is engaged in the hole 8 and situated on the end of a grippinghook and, a sufficiently strong pull is exerted on the hook in adirection parallel to the axis of the peg, the flexibility of thematerial enables the studs 9 to become disengaged from the blind holes.The peg is then able to slide in the recesses in the walls and to becomecompletely disengaged.

The assembly, comprising a board element and an unpluggable lamp holder,is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, in which the parts common to FIGS. 1and 2 bear the same reference numerals. The base of the board element isformed with an aperture in which there is disposed a window 12 which maybear a symbol. The octagonal unpluggable lamp holder 13 is disposed inthe connection holder 14, which is in turn surrounded by a metallicprotective casing 15. The connection holder 14 is secured in the boardelement by ribs 16 which engage internal grooves 4A. Four miniaturelamps such as 18 provided with colored caps 19 are engaged by thesockets 17 of the lamp holder. Terminals 20 are provided for connectionto a source of current. A spring 21 having a circular rib 22 maintainsthe lamp 18 in position when its rib 22 is engaged in groove 23 in thebase of the lamp.

The devices for securing the synoptic board on a support frame shown inFIG. 6 comprise screw-threaded rods 31 disposed at intervals, forexample, of 30 centimeters in the longitudinal direction and of 45centimeters in the vertical direction where the board elements havesides of 30 millimeters. The screwthreaded rods 31 are screwed on toframe elements 30. They are soldered or welded at their ends to tubes 32or 32A of square cross section, which tubes 32 or 32A are terminated bystuds 33 or 33A which are held in the holes in the heads 7 of the pegs6. The rods provided with tubes 32 secure the board in the verticaldirection and those provided with tubes 32A secure the board in thelongitudinal direction. When it is desired to secure the board tosupport frame elements 30, the studs 33 and 33A of the tubes 32 and 32Aare introduced into the holes in the peg heads. Then the pegs are pushedinto the recesses in the walls of the board elements which they are toconnect. On disassembly, it is sufficient to exert a pull on the boardelements so as to remove them from the tubes 32 and 32A and thus todisengage the pegs from the walls of the elements. The board elementscan thereafter be withdrawn from the end members 33 and 33A and, ifnecessary, returned to the recesses which they previously occupied.

It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to thesynoptic control and signalling boards just described without departingfrom the scope of the invention. More particularly, the board elementsmay have a cross section of other than square form, for example, theycan be in the form of a convex regular polygon of triangular, pentagonalhexagonal, etc., shape. The means for joining the assembly members andthe board elements may have a form other than that of a dovetail suchas, for example, they may have a cross section of substantially dumbbellform.

The means for gripping the heads of the pegs, the means for holding thepegs secure and the means for attachment to the support frame may be anyother known means.

What is claimed is:

l. A synoptic control and signalling board of the type consisting of aplurality of hollow elements of prismatic form closed at one end by adetachable panel bearing symbols, said elements being disposedside-by-side in such a manner that their lateral faces are contiguous inpairs and that the panels form a plane surface, said elements beingassembled by means of assembly members supporting a male membercooperating with a female member supported by the lateral faces of theelements, said assembly members being pegs having the form of a doubledovetail in cross section, said pegs being disposed parallel to the axisof the prisimatic elements and having means for holding said pegs fastin the lateral walls of the elements, said pegs further having agripping head of a parallelipipedic form, with at least one dimensionbeing substantially equal to twice the thickness of the lateral wall ofan element.

2. A synoptic board according to claim 1, wherein the gripping head isformed with a hole for the introduction of a demounting tool, said holehaving an axis perpendicular to the axis ofthe peg.

3. A synoptic board according to claim 2, wherein the board is connectedto a support frame at intervals by means of rods perpendicular to theplane of the visible face of said board and elongated members areconnected parallel to said plane, the ends of said elongated membersbeing lodged in holes in the gripping heads of two adjacent pegs eitherin a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane.

4. A synoptic board according to claim 1, wherein the locking means ofthe peg comprises studs mounted on the peg which cooperate with holes inthe lateral face of the elements.

5. A synoptic control and signalling board of the type comprising aplurality of members with a prismatic form and having at one end asquare panel face bearing symbols with lateral faces, said elementsbeing disposed side-by-side in such a manner that said square panelfaces form a flat surface, and

a key means for locking together prismatic members including a grippinghead with a hole perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, said key meanscoacting with said lateral faces of adjacent prismatic members whenpositioned parallel to said lateral faces whereby a synoptic control andsignalling board is formed adapted for easy dismantling by a toolcoacting with said hole in said key.

6. A board as in claim 5, further including a support frame meansincluding rods and fasteners with studs, said rods are fastened to thesupport frame means perpendicular to flat surface panel face while saidfasteners are fastened to the end of said rods with the studs parallelto said panel face, said studs coacting with said gripping head holes.

7. A board as in claim 6 where said lateral faces of said prismaticmembers have recesses and locking means on said key means for coactingwith said recesses of said lateral faces.

8. A board as in claim 7 where said recesses are circular indentationsand said locking means are circular studs.

1. A synoptic control and signalling board of the type consisting of aplurality of hollow elements of prismatic form closed at one end by adetachable panel bearing symbols, said elements being disposedside-by-side in such a manner that their lateral faces are contiguous inpairs and that the panels form a plane surface, said elements beingassembled by means of assembly members supporting a male membercooperating with a female member supported by the lateral faces of theelements, said assembly members being pegs having the form of a doubledovetail in cross section, said pegs being disposed parallel to the axisof the prisimatic elements and having means for holding said pegs fastin the lateral walls of the elements, said pegs further having agripping head of a parallelipipedic form, with at least one dimensionbeing substantially equal to twice the thickness of the lateral wall ofan element.
 2. A synoptic board according to claim 1, wherein thegripping head is formed with a hole for the introduction of a demountingtool, said hole having an axis perpendicular to the axis of the peg. 3.A synoptic board according to claim 2, wherein the board is connected toa support frame at intervals by means of rods perpendicular to the planeof the visible face of said board and elongated members are connectedparallel to said plane, the ends of said elongated members being lodgedin holes in the gripping heads of two adjacent pegs either in ahorizontal plane or in a vertical plane.
 4. A synoptic board accordingto claim 1, wherein the locking means of the peg comprises studs mountedon the peg which cooperate with holes in the lateral face of theelements.
 5. A synoptic control and signalling board of the typecomprising a plurality of members with a prismatic form and having atone end a square panel face bearing symbols with lateral faces, saidelements being disposed side-by-side in such a manner that said squarepanel faces form a flat surface, and a key means for locking togetherprismatic members including a gripping head with a hole perpendicular toits longitudinal axis, said key means coacting with said lateral facesof adjacent prismatic members when positioned parallel to said lateralfaces whereby a synoptic control and signalling board is formed adaptedfor easy dismantling by a tool coacting with said hole in said key.
 6. Aboard as in claim 5, further including a support frame means includingrods and fasteners with studs, said rods are fastened to the supportframe means perpendicular to flat surface panel face while saIdfasteners are fastened to the end of said rods with the studs parallelto said panel face, said studs coacting with said gripping head holes.7. A board as in claim 6 where said lateral faces of said prismaticmembers have recesses and locking means on said key means for coactingwith said recesses of said lateral faces.
 8. A board as in claim 7 wheresaid recesses are circular indentations and said locking means arecircular studs.